For some people- maybe including you and us, having a sausage or two or more a few times per week is actually a lifestyle. Hence, we feel delighted to share about the spices in breakfast sausage from our article this time.
Spices like black pepper, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg are common in many recipes of this food. In the meantime, some homemade recipes also include flavorings such as cayenne pepper, cloves, garlic powder, paprika, and fennel seeds. Apart from these spices, herbs like sage is a key component, while other herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and marjoram (occasionally) are also used in many recipes.
So, this feature is mainly about how the spices, herbs, and other breakfast sausage ingredients would add flavor to it. Keep reading to learn more!
What Spices Are Used In Breakfast Sausage?
Many parts of the world enjoy this food on a regular basis. But, it is a predominantly essential part of the USA and UK morning meal routine.
Although the sausage recipe of the USA and UK have some differences, the spices used are essentially the same whether they are made using ground pork, any other ground meat, or vegan-friendly TVP.
Once we checked with the ingredients of the store-bought breakfast sausages, the spices weren’t that clear. But, many popular recipes on the internet gave us the necessary information about both the varieties of sausages consumed in the USA and UK.
Check out the descriptions below that we have elaborated on each spice and herb to learn how they give flavor and texture to this food.
01- Black Pepper
Typically, ground black pepper is a standard ingredient in almost all breakfast sausage recipes. The warmth and piney and spicy flavor of this spice take out the blandness of this food.
Some homemade recipes even use ground white pepper, while a majority use ground black pepper. And, it becomes the perfect addition that gives life to the taste of ground pork. In fact, black pepper pairs well with salt and especially with sage to enhance the most outstanding punch of this food.
02- Red Pepper Flakes
Red pepper flakes give both flavor and color to this food. Since they are often made with hot peppers like cayenne, serrano, or jalapenos, this spice offers a subtle spiciness and heat when included moderately in any sausage recipe. It complements the taste of ground meat and combines well with black pepper and the herbs used.
03- Nutmeg
This spice also has a special role in this food when it comes to its seasoning part. In fact, ground nutmeg or freshly grated nutmeg is a star spice that can be seen in many sausage recipes prepared for breakfast.
Ground nutmeg or freshly grated nutmeg incorporates pleasingly with other breakfast sausage ingredients like ground meat, black pepper, and sage. It is slightly sweet, nutty, and warm that could give the perfect unique and subtle flavor profile for this food.
Herbs Used In Breakfast Sausage
As mentioned on top, homemade recipes customize the usage of herbs just like they would do with spices. However, there are a few generally included herbs in this food, including sage as a key component.
If you missed our article about the spices used in Italian sausage, which is equally delicious as the breakfast sausage, click here right now!
01- Sage
Dried sage is, in fact, a vital ingredient in this food just as much as ground black pepper. We don’t usually see any recipes that exclude this herb, even though they tend to add and omit any others.
Sage is indeed a strong and bold herb with a nuanced flavor and aroma profile. It is slightly peppery and earthy with lemon, mint, and eucalyptus notes that bond pretty solidly with black pepper and ground meat. Sage could also complement the flavor of other herbs used in this food.
02- Thyme
Dried thyme is another herb that is often used in many sausage recipes. This herb is not actually a must-have in this food, but we see that many homemade recipes have used it just as much as sage.
Well, the reason is quite apparent. Dried thyme is slightly peppery, sweet, earthy with mint and floral hints. This subtle flavor and aroma of this herb ideally couples with other herbs, spices, and other flavorings used to season this sausage.
03- Rosemary
We actually detected the most usage of dried rosemary in many US versions of this food more than that of the UK. And, this herb is often paired with sage and thyme.
The flavor of rosemary is one of the most hard-to-explain ones in the world of herbs and spices. Its flavor and aroma are apparently a combination of many other flavorings, including sage and pepper. This is one of the main reasons why rosemary is included in many sausage recipes.
Other Common Breakfast Sausage Ingredients
As we mentioned before, US and UK sausage slightly differ in ingredients. In fact, the sausage made in the UK employs a special component- breadcrumbs, which we cannot see that is being used in US recipes. At the same time, in many US sausage recipes, we found that they use brown sugar.
Apart from this, other common ingredients used in both US and UK breakfast sausage recipes are ground pork (or any other ground meat or TVP for vegan recipes), salt, and water.
Illuminating Fact! – In the US, breakfast sausages are also called “country sausages.” In the meantime, in the UK, this sausage is also called “Bangers”.
What Gives Breakfast Sausage Its Distinct Flavor?
We all know that a bland bulk of ground pork or any other meat alone cannot give out any flavor. Thus, the secret for this sausage to be so flavorful, decadent, and juicy is undoubtedly because of the spices and seasonings used.
Essentially, the combination of spices, herbs, and other flavorings is the reason for this food to have its distinct and deep flavor.
Life is always better when you wake up in the morning and know that a plate of breakfast sausages is waiting at the table for you
SpiceRally
What Is Sausage Seasoning Made Of?
The breakfast sausage seasoning basically comes together with all the ingredients used in the recipe except ground meat, breadcrumbs, and water.
If you assemble this seasoning at home, you can customize the ingredients that go in. However, it usually includes:
- Black or white pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Ground nutmeg or ground cloves
- Ground allspice (in UK recipes)
- Dried sage
- Dried thyme
- Garlic powder
- Dried rosemary (in US recipes)
- Dried marjoram
- Ground ginger (in UK recipes)
- Salt
- Brown sugar (in US recipes)
What Is The Difference Between Breakfast Sausage And Regular Sausage?
The key difference between a regular sausage and this sausage comes from its processing. A regular sausage may undergo drying and curing processes, whereas breakfast sausage typically does not undergo such procedures.
In addition, they can differ in shapes too. A regular sausage is usually clad in a casing and made into links by twisting at the ends. While on the other hand, a breakfast sausage also could include a casing, but they are also made into patties without casings. And, although most types of regular sausages are consumed cooked, breakfast sausage is typically eaten fried.
Moreover, these sausages are heavily seasoned than a typical sausage. As you read from the prior sections of this article, many spices and herbs contribute to the flavor of this sausage more than regular sausage.
If you are a real Chorizo fanatic, we bet that you don’t want to skip our feature about what spices are used in Chorizo sausages. All you have to do is to tap here!
Without Spices And Herbs, This Breakfast Staple Is Nothing!
We at SpiceRally always want to show how spices and herbs contribute to flavoring the food that you have every day. And, as you see, the food item we just discussed is one of the best examples to prove that.
Spices used in breakfast sausage accompanied by the herbs are the real megastars that give all its taste and texture. And that is how all the ingredients in this piece of meat or vegan meat combine so well to provide you with the best breakfast experience with eggs, pancakes, beans, or toast.
